Receptacle outlet testers are conventionally used to verify the correct wiring of a wall electrical outlet. Among other things, a receptacle tester can be used to determine whether an outlet is functioning (i.e., would provide power to an attached device) and whether the wiring is safe (i.e., whether improper wiring would result in damage to an attached device or create a situation in which a person may receive an electrical shock).
Conventional receptacle testers, such as the prior art receptacle tester 10 shown in FIG. 1, have a body 14 and a plug 12 that extends from the body 14. The plug 12 includes three prongs (one for hot contact, one for neutral contact, and one for ground contact) for connection in the corresponding receptacles of an electrical outlet. The receptacle tester 10 also has three indicators 16 and a code label 18 located on the body 14. The code label 18 lists the wiring states for each of the indicator combinations. A ground fault circuit interrupter tester, such as a button 20, is also available on the receptacle tester 10.
When the plug 12 of the receptacle tester 10 is plugged into a live outlet, one or more of the indicators 16 may light up indicating the wiring status of the outlet. The user compares the on/off pattern of the three indicators 16 to the code label 18 to determine whether the outlet is correctly wired. If the outlet is not correctly wired, then the code label 18 indicates what is incorrect about the wiring so that the user may make the necessary changes before the outlet is put into service.
However, under certain conditions, it can be difficult for the user to read the code label or see the indicator lights. Since receptacle testers are generally quite compact, the text printed on the code label is frequently small—making the code label difficult to read. Additionally, as at least the outlet being tested is not in service, the receptacle tester is often being used in a poorly lit area. Moreover, as not all outlets are similarly oriented, upon insertion of the receptacle tester in the outlet, it may be difficult for the user to consult the code label or see the indicators, particularly if the outlet is upside-down.
Hence, there is a need for an improved receptacle tester that provides easy analysis of the output provided by the receptacle tester and that can be used on outlets having various orientations.